Frères in arms?

I had heard for sometime that Can Can was a (poor?) cousin/imitation of Balthazar’s in NYC. Since I am not versed in the history of the place, this “provenance” is perhaps not apocryphal (?) So when I got the chance recently, I had to test it out.

The décor is …I let these (terrible) pictures speak for themselves. The food on the other hand - quite different (similar font and style on menu (albeit a standard one) but that’s about where the similarity ends) - the food at B showing more depth in French cuisine than the largely surface skimming CC menu. Other than the more extensive menu and wine list and higher prices, the homology is quite striking. [To quote wiki :) - A homology is a "structural correspondence", whereas an analogy is a "non-correspondent similarity".]





I admit that I actually like CC. They do dumbfound on occasion and they’re not really on the moderate side pricewise - but these traits seem to apply to quite a few places around. I could (cheekily perhaps) extend my homology analogy to the demographic :).. but.. They have a rather nice looking bar and the frites (pommes and moules) are pretty good. Their feeble attempts at franco-sophistication are often quite amusing (when not to the detriment of the food) and I like the fact that they have a decent dessert menu. The little boulangerie corner with its stacks of loaves is a pleasant sight as is the generally open and airy interior. Noisy and often raucous – wish they had more of their nicer wines by the glass!
It is possible (if you shut your ears and let your eyes defocus) to imagine that you’re in a Parisian bistro at both places!

80 spring street 10012 / 80 x 39 w cary street 23221